The Social Economist Returns with Season 3! That’s right - we’re back and we’re delving into the hottest topics impacting the social economy in 2025. This season, we’ll be looking at the wider changing policy landscape influencing the social economy before exploring Europe’s energy transition and the new emphasis on European defence spending. 

In Episode 1, host Toby Gazeley from Euclid Network is joined by Valentina Patetta from the European Federation of Ethical and Alternative Banks and Financiers (FEBEA) to reflect on the changes in policy landscape since the end of Season 2. 

Valentina and Toby discuss the change in tone as well as policies since the European elections in 2024 and the knock on impact of the USA’s Presidential Election. They reflect on the new emphasis around competitiveness and simplification - perhaps code for de-regulation - as well as the changing position on the Commission when it comes to supporting the Social Economy. 

Valentina was generous enough to recommend two news podcasts for our listeners. These were: Scanner by Italian journalist Valerio Nicolosi; and Al Jazeera’s News Updates podcast. Toby couldn’t help but recommend a podcast too, this time recommending Good Hang with Amy Poehler - something a little less news focused.

Please do get in touch to [email protected] with questions and comments. 

A special thanks to our producer Jan Kiszowara and the European Commission for making The Social Economist possible. 

Our theme music is ‘another twelve’ by Mikel Patrick Avery at Music for Podcasts.